Channel Summit

What has been your FAST experience so far?

I have been working in the FAST industry almost as long as this industry has existed. Pluto TV, the pioneer service in FAST, was launched in 2014 and I joined just a couple of years later, when Pluto TV acquired Quazer, a TVlike service based on artificial intelligence, very similar to a FAST service, which I co-founded. It is amazing how FAST has become such a powerful industry segment.

Why is it such a hot topic?

The FAST model combines the comfort of traditional television within the streaming landscape, while addressing audiences’ needs in a unique way that complements other streaming services. FAST is easy to use and takes the stress out of deciding what to watch from the consumer. FAST also presents a new opportunity for advertisers to reach their target audience, making advertising an integral part of the viewing experience and guiding users to discover new products.

What are the next trends in FAST?

First of all, we should expect advertisers to be heavily investing in FAST services in the future. The advertising world is changing rapidly and advertisers are adopting FAST and CTV as part of their media mix. The power of FAST is to combine a CTV audience, meaning the impact of TV advertising (full-screen, non-skippable, stitched into ad breaks) with the power of digital (measurement, targetability, dynamic ad insertion). In a world of popular franchises, FAST is a perfect way to reach a mass audience.

Teresa Lopez, vice-president, content partnerships, rlaxx TV, table host at the FAST Roundtable Breakfast

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Since day one we have been fully committed to creating an independent European FAST/AVOD streaming service for global expansion. In just two years we have made it to launch in 27 countries, we have developed in-house app versions of rlaxx TV for all kinds of platforms — from Smart TVs of nearly every brand you can think of, STBs, web, mobile, tablets — and created 120 channels using our own technology.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It was the next logical step to monetise viewing time. Our sister company, Foxxum, has been in the CTV in-

Bob McCourt chief operating officer, Fremantle International

What has been your FAST experience so far?

Fremantle has a long history in this space, which started with the launch of Buzzr in 2015. This US channel houses all of our classic game shows. Today, we have 12 channels in the US and 11 outside the US with plans to launch several new channels in 2023. At Fremantle, we have an extensive library and local production capabilities in 20 countries — so we are in a great position to become a truly global player in the FAST industry.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It is undeniable that FAST is attracting more and more users. Whether it’s due to SVOD saturation, subscription fatigue, penetration of connected TVs, easy discoverability, reasonable ad-loads; FAST is here to stay. FAST is a progressive next-step in the evolution of content distribution and is 100% compatible with our business model at Fremantle.

What are the next trends in FAST?

As platforms compete for viewers they will try and differentiate themselves from the competition by looking for exclusive content or an exclusive launch window for new content. Traditional broadcasters will see the growth in FAST and look to launch their own FAST channels as part of their channel portfolio. In the US, Warner Bros. Discovery, A&E, AMC and Paramount have already done so. Interactive ads and branded content may become important elements. And consolidation is likely to continue as competition continues to intensify.

dustry for over 10 years and the ad dollars are just following the viewing time behaviours which are increasingly growing on CTV as opposite to linear. FAST combines both worlds — linear and on-demand TV watching — and tries to catch viewers in a new environment.

What are the next trends in FAST?

From the content perspective we are going to see more customisation per country and less generalisation, in terms of delivering local content. From the ad perspective, I could imagine FAST platforms will focus more on direct sales rather than programmatic and build inhouse teams to achieve goals more effectively. And from the platform perspective, the integration of FAST channels as part of the Smart TV ecosystem together with the TV linear/EPG section could happen.